14 herbs for smudging

Smudging is easy. There really isn’t any right or wrong way to do it. Every person develops their own method according to taste, preference, experience and intuition. What is important to remember is to ventilate the room so that you allow any stale air or energy to flow out of your space.

You can use a feather to fan out the smudge in the corners of your room where there is little to no flow of air. These stale energy and dust-collecting areas need special attention. This means the space between heavy furniture and wall, your basement (especially if unfinished), your attic, storage cabinet, etc. If you can’t wipe them clean regularly, smudge them!

You can make your own smudge stick. Harvest from your garden, wildcraft or buy organic herbs. Let them dry for a few hours. Then tie the leaves together with a cotton thread. Hang it dry in a well-ventilated area away from light. After the herbs are dry, light up the smudge stick and blow the fire just as you would do with an incense. If you still have a lot of stick after smudging your space, put out the burning tip with water or sand and put your smudge stick away to use on another day.

You can also use charcoal in a fire resistant dish or bowl.

14 herbs for smudging

Angelica – Angelica archangelica

Plant part: roots

Use Angelica to:

Strengthen the nerves

Strengthen the mind

Promote self-discovery

Help overcome indecision

Promote religious experiences

Common Vervain – Verbena officinalis

Plant part: roots

Another protection herb, Vervain:

Strengthens the immune system

Promotes a positive atmosphere in a place

Helps to remember dreams

Protects against nightmares

Elder – Sambucus nigra

Plant part: Leaves and pith

The Germanic tribes of antiquity used Elder in their rite of passage. It has no intensive scent making it easy to combine with other herbs. Use it for:

Healing

Protection

Awareness of the right moment to act on something

Elecampane (Horse-heal) – Inula helenium

Plant part : roots

Smudge home and farm buildings (stalls, barns, etc.) in the dark months of the year to:

A traditional herb for smudging, Mugwort is a protection, medicinal and magical herb. It warms, strengthens and empowers a person. It a very important herb in emotionally demanding times such as the death of a loved one and the birth of a child. Use it to:

Lend strength in difficult times

Help to “let go”

Improve intuition and awareness

Remember dreams

Peppermint – Menthae piperitae

Plant part: Leaves and stalks shortly before bloom

Peppermint is a wonderful herb to smudge when someone has a cold. Use it to:

Cleanse

Cool and refresh

Bring clarity to the mind

Energize body and mind

Focus on “here and now”

Clear the air passages during a cold

St. John’s Wort – Hypericum perforatum

Plant part: Flowers and leaves

This herb was used in the past to ward off evil. When smudging, it develops a sweet and uplifting scent which brights up the mood. Use it to: